Display rack for phonograph records and the like



F. H. RICE DISPLAY RACK FOR PHONOGRAPH RECORDS AND THE LIKE Filed July27, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l F. H. R DISPLAY RACK FOR PHONOGRAPH Aug. 25,1953 [CE 2,649,968

RECORDS AND THE LIKE Filed July 27, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTOQ/VEVPatented Aug. 25, 1953 DISPLAY RACK FOR PHONOGRAPH RECORDS AND THE LIKEFrederick H. Rice, Van Nuys, Calif., assignor to Capitol Records, Inc.,Hollywood, Calif., a corporation of, California Application July 27,1950, Serial No. 176,230

. 1 Claim.

1 This invention relates to advertising equipment and more particularlyto display racks for advertising, holding and storing small articlessuch as phonograph records and the like.

The ordinary manner used' in displaying phonograph records consists in'the use of an envelope with the title printed plainly on it, and

I this in turn is sometimes held up in a vertical plane by a cardboardstand. The disadvantage of this type is that it takes up much roomcomparatively and does not display the article adequately. Further itoffers little protection to the article and in fact is of such form asto invite accident and cause resulting damage. A further objection topresent display methods is the difficulty in locating particular recordsfor sale purposes.

In this invention, the device consists of simple stamped out blanks offiat thin material which may be readily assembled and interlocked onewith the other to form a stack or series of stacks for records, arrangedso that they may be displayed conspicuously to the purchasing public andpositioned for ready access when a sale is to be made.

The object of this invention includes the provision of a new andimproved display holder for phonograph records and the like that willavoid some of the disadvantages and limitations of the prior art.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improvedphonograph record or small article holder that will effectively displaythe articles in question and. enable them to be handled readily whenthey are needed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved displayholder made of flat and thin material for the holding and display oflight articles in a convenient, yet conspicuous manner, and capable ofbeing manufactured inexpensively, while retaining a very attractiveappearance.

A further object of this invention is to provide a new and improveddisplay rack and holder for light articles that can be assembledtogether by units, to meet large or small quantities in displayrequirements, and such assembling to be accomplished in a very simplemanner, requiring little or no technical or mechanical skill.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent as the invention isoutlined in more detail.

For a fuller comprehension of the invention, its objects and theprinciples thereof, reference is made to the accompanying drawings.These drawings in conjunction with the following description illustratea particular form of the invention by way of example, while the claimemphasizes its scope.

In the drawings:

Figure l, is a front elevation of a series of display units embodyingthis invention, assembled together to form a complete display rack forphonograph records.

Figure 2, is a sectional *plan view on line 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3, is a sectional elevation on line 3-3 of Figure 1,

Figure 4, is a sectional elevation on line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5, is a front view of a disc blank used in this embodiment;

Figure 6, is a view in elevation showing the disc blank in position inthe assembly;

Figure '7, is a plan view on line 11 of Figure 6;

Figure 8, is a plan view of the underlay member used in this embodiment;

Figure 9, is a sectional view on line 99 of Figure 9;

Figure 10, is a detail in section on line Ill-IE] of Figure 8.

Figure 11, is a detail of the box in section showing covering paperattached to hinge its parts together.

Similar reference numerals relate to the same parts throughout thefigures.

In the drawings, the structure indicated is designed for use withphonographic records of the existing types being commonly used in thecommercial fields, and are of thin and light material. In this lightenedform the phonographic discs can be readily handled and stored incardboard boxes, a number at a time. These boxes are square andconventionally supplied to dealers in the article, and are indicated atH] in the drawings. They have a deep cover H, slidable over an open boxbottom l2 of about the same depth, so that when the cover II is on italigns close to the back wall of the box.

An underlay member 14, forms the main base for the display rack formedin this invention. It is of the contour shown principally in Figure 2,having a quasi-rectangular design and long enough to act as a supportfor several boxes in and disc blanks 15. The member [4 is divided upinto panels I3 by notching the edges as shown at [3, each panel beinglarge enough to receive a box II] or a disk blank [5. These blanks l5and boxes ID are preferably mounted on it in alternate arrangement, asshown in Figure l, and then the member It can be also used forsupporting another underlay member on their upper portions, for anadditional row of blanks and boxes. These blanks and boxes in componentsare alternately arranged with regard to each other also, as well as withthose adjacent above or below. The disc blanks are generally circular incontour. The lower marginal portion slightly resilient.

however is bordered by a straight lower edge Hi, from which the lugs I!project to fit through slits l8 correspondingly disposed in the member14 about centrally thereof, except on the bottom row.

The discs are of flat stiff material and the lugs project not onlythrough the face of the member id but beyond to serve as feet therefor.The lugs I! have tapered sides 11 so they may be easily inserted throughthe-slits 18, the latter being widened in part at 19 to facilitate this.The straight lower edge of each disc rests for its entire length flat onthe upper face of the panel I3 on which it is mounted and remainsvertically erected thereon. A box In is erected next to the disc on thesame member but does not contact the disc at its side portion. The boxis held to the member 14 by slipping the corresponding panel 13, formedby the notches 13, in between the cover .and box wall on one side. Thenotches l3 permit this to be accomplished.

The alternate positioning of the boxes and discs in the base member Itserves to balance the device and where the boxes come under the discsthe lugs of the latter do not interfere with said boxes, because theelements are out of exact alignment. But there is a space in betweeneach pair of boxes ID with a disc IS in back of them, to allow a numberofrecords to be piled vertically against the disc blank and to be heldtightly in place by the side walls of the boxes.

These boxes Il] may be those supplied by the manufacturer of therecords, and the records may be contained in said boxes while assembledin this display form, so that the contents of the boxes may be removedwhen sales are made. Yet, on the other hand, any type of box may beutilized which contains other material, if desired. If the boxes arethose supplied by the manufacturer of .disc records, the covers of saidboxes are preferably ornamented and otherwise printed to indicate thecontents thereof, thus providing substantially an advertisement on thefront of each box. The disc blanks 15 are printed or ornamented forthesame purpose, so that the combination of discs and boxes represents anadvertising display, as well as containers for the records soadvertised, said records being available in the boxes for removable andsale purposes. The members l4 act as carriers or supports for the boxesand disc blanks. Naturally, the boxes and discs, arranged in the mannershown and described, not only present display and advertising elements,but form supports for the superposed members [4.

The label-covering paper pasted on cover 1 I and box [0, hinges andholds both together. The lugs N, do not project beyond the underlay It,used on the bottom row for the rack, since the latter is preferably flaton the surface supporting it.

The material of which the elements are formed is preferabl cardboard,but may be plastic or any other suitable material, which is light inweight, thin, relatively stiff and yet flexible and Material with thesequalities appears tobe desirable, in view of the manner in which theelements are assembled and interlocked.

The arrangement, as shown and described, produces a neat, simple andattractive display. It can be produced economically. Its assembly iseconomical;-; The arrangement is such that a large number of componentsor a few components may be used as may be desired under the conditionspresented to the user, It offers considerable latitude in the useofadvertising and display matter and when not in use, the elements maybe knocked down and retained in compact form. .Froma practicalstandpoint, it enables the dealer in records and the like to display andadvertise the same simultaneously, and such records are readilyavailable for removal when sales are made. The peculiar outline of thedevice with several rows of components is thus attractive and useful.

It may be here stated that while the disc blanks are shown substantiallycircular in form same may be cut in any other form to provide contours,as desired.

From the foregoing description. of the construction of my improveddisplay device, the manner of making and assembling same will be readilyunderstood, and .it will beseen that I have provided a comparativelysimple, inexpensive and efficientmeans for carrying out the variousobjects of theinvention.

While I have particularlydescribed the elements best adapted to performthe functions set forth, it is apparent that various changes in form,proportion and in the minor details of construction may be resorted to,without departing from or sacrificing any of the principles of theinvention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

A display and storage device comprising elongated strips of sheetmaterial disposed horizontally in vertical spaced relation toeach other,each strip having opposite side edges formed with oppositely disposednotches and dividing the strip into longitudinally extending sections,said sections being each formed with longitudinally extending slitslocated midway the width of the strip and spaced-from each otherlongitudinally thereof, the said notches. being of an even depth andhaving their inner ends spaced from a center line of the strip alongwhich the. slits are formed, containers disposed upright between thestrips and spaced from each other longitudinally thereof and each havingabody corresponding in length to the length. of a section of a stripsection and formed with marginal walls in face-toface engagement withconfronting surfaces of the strips and a cover for the container havingmarginal walls overlapping surfaces ofv the strips and fitting into thenotches and together. with the said walls of the container frictionallygripping the strip, and upright discs disposed between said containersinoffset relation thereto and having depending supporting tonguespassing through the slits.

FREDERICK H. RICE.

ReferencesCited in the file of ,this patent UNITEDSTATES PATENTS NumberName Date 287,430 Golding Oct, 30, 1883 796,690 Wolf Aug. 8, 19051,004,810 Newell, Jr. Oct. 3, 1911 1,477,654 Lamb Dec. 18,1923

2,064,056 Cookson Dec. 15, 1936 2,120,072 Lewy June 7, 1938 2,505,509Varela Apr. 25, 1950 2,506,844 Smith May 9, 1950 V FOREIGN PATENTSNumber Country Date,

463,424 Great Britain Mar. 30, 1937

